Changeable electric sign.



T. C. HANSEN.,

CHANGEABLE ELECTRIC SIGN.

l APPLICATION FILED DEc.6'.1sxe.

l A, patented me 19, 1917.

INVENWR:

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PHOTO-LITHD by SACKETT WILHELMS CORP. NX

THoMns CHRISTIAN HANSN, o F emexico, ILLINOIS.

"cH'ANGEABLn ELECTRIC 'sIGNg SpecinaationI of Letters Patient. Patented-June 19, 1.917.

' Application filed- December 6, 916.- Serial lIlm-135,320. l' I To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS citizen of the United States, anda resident.v

of the city of Chicago,.in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement 1n ChangeableElectric Signs; and I do hereby'declare that the following .description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawing, forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which wilLenable othersskilled in the art to which it ap# pertains to make and aise the same.

My invention relates generally to improvements in changeable electric` signs and it consists, essentially, in the novel, and peculiar combination of parts and details of construction, as hereinafter rst fully set forth and described and then pointed Aout in the claims. Y

It is the object of my invention to produce an electric sign, especially adapted for out- 7 d0or`use, the reading matter of which can be changed in a very short space of time, the sign being so constructed' that wind, rain,

eiiiciency.

Electric signs ha-.ve come into extensive use, especially in the larger cities.; -and for theatrical, moving picture shows, etc. It is now considerednecessary to change the signs quite frequently, and often daily. In order to accomplish these results, and at the same time produce an electric sign that is readable von both of its sides, I'construct this sign'substantially as shown in the drawings forming part of this specification, and 1n which Figure l is an elevation of a portion. ot an'elec-v tric sign constructed in accord with my invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmental view, diagrammatic in nature, illustrating the various electric circuits and connections located in the sign. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan showing a number of incandescent lamps and their c'onnections. Fig. 4 is a sectional .view of a single lamp of approximately actual size, illustratingv the construction thereof. Fig. 5 is a plan viewof the socket retaining element and the electric conductor connected to the metallic thimble located therein. Fig. 6 is a fragmental view of a portion of a support that sustains the second electric conductor in proper position in the sign.

This sign is constructed of two, preferably metallic, side members A, A, of any width and length suitablefor the object for vwhich itis-to loeemployedv These-tw'oside memf .y Abers are spacedv apart a suih'cientdistance to -ai`ord' a space withinv'vhich'the electric wiring can be conveniently arranged, as will members are .removably secured -to a frame structure of proper construction so as to afford access to the interior of the sign whenever necessary or desirable. Each ofthe two slide Vmembers is punctured with a' series of closely spaced' rows of holes, vthe holes in .hereinafter more fully appear. These side these rows being in vertical alinem'ent.v i spacing of these holes is soplanned that'`A electric incandescent lamps B, can be placed into these holes so that when a sign has been set up by selecting the proper holes, only a certainnumber of these `holes will be in use. Back of these holes and registering therewith, there are'placed socketretainers l2, ot

insulating, material, preferably porcelain,

which'socket retainers are removable from said back; and there is in each socket retalner a metallic, screw threaded thimble 13,

-which forms the'socket proper, and as such,

one of the electric connections betweenl the a' lamp B and the source of supply of electric energy. i

'The lamps employed are generally of the smaller sizes, those of 7% amperes and less being usually employed which on account of thela'rge, number used, give a. very intensel i illumination.

vThe sockets 13 are electrically connected by conducting wires or leads 15, said connections being so made that a certain number of lamps are included in one circuit. there being as many leads as are necessary to supply all the lamps with current. said leads being, preferably. soldered to the thimbles 13, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

An inspection oi' Fig. 3 will show that opposing lamps have their terminals 10. in

opposition, and that all of the terminals 10 of the lamps in an electric, circuit a re in contact with -an electric conductor 17, and that all the electric conductors 17.are connected to a return conductor 16. And in a like man- -ner the leads 15 are all connected to the incoming wire 18. Theelectric conductors 17 are, preferably, metallic rods oblong in cross section, the longer axis of which is vertically disposed for the purpose of attaining greater stiiiness.

It will now be observed that there are as man v inleading conducting wires 15 as there are rows ot openings in the side members IOS Q1, which rods arepunctured at proper intervals, there being as many of these punctures as there are horizontal rows of the contact wires 17; and each of these holes is lined with an insulator 22, shown in detail in Fig. 6, said insulator being perforated for the passage of the Contact wire, and held to said bars by anout-wardly extending flange 2k, the marginal edge of which is forced against, and engages the insulator, and thus holds it in place. I provide a number of these supports 2l in the sign, as indicated in Fig. 2, said supports being spaced apart a proper distance to prevent deflection of the contact wires 17.

In this construction I prefer to `connect the incoming leads (or the returns, for that matter) ofeach side of the sign to a switch 30, 31, respectively,so that when desired,

but one side of the sign may be illuminated;v

and it is now to be observed that thissign may be so constructed as to be a ,one-sideilluminated sign only, by omitting the holes and their appurtenants for the lamps at the4 other side, or by plugging all the socket holes in the latter side member.

It is obvious that in order to 'arrange the lamps to spell diHerent letters, characters,

. or words, there must be a much greater numberpf socketed openings in thc sign thanare required at any one time to make up the reading matter, and to prevent wind, rain, snow or .ice from entering the interior space of the sign, I provide screw-plugs for all the sockets that are not used `after the sign has been set up. These plugs are Vof generally well understood construction and need no detailed description. l

Suice it to say that they are provided with suitable Vmeans to enable them to be easily screwed into the sockets for the lamps,

i andy that'they are preferably of nonconduct ing material.

In order to make this sign readable in the day time, and at the'same time increase the illumination in the night, I paint, or otherwise coat the outside surface of the sign in a dark color, and then place behind. each lamp in use a cup-shaped reflector 36, the inner or curved surface of which is i)aintetl, or otherwise made, a light color,

preferably white.,v which surfaces show piainly in daylight so that the letters icl by these cup-shaped bodies can be easily read, While at thei night time they reflect light and thereby increase the intensity of the lights. These reflectors maybe of metallic construction,'but I prefer to produce them in glass or porcelain; and in order to protect the lamp bulbs from being scratched or broken by coming in contact with these reflectors, I line the central opening there-A in with an elastic medium 37, Fig. il, such as soft rubber or the like, it being understood that these reflectors are used only wherever a lamp is being used, and that they are removably held in position by the lamps.

In order to insulate the lamp sockets from the metallic walls of the sign, and to provide for ready means for securing them to these walls, I form oblong members Q4, shown in detail in F igsfll and 5, which oblong members have bosses 26, in which the screw threaded metallic thimbles 13 are securely fixed. These bosses are notched at 27, to receive the leads 15, which leads are preferably insulatedrwires laid bare at the spots where they are to contact with the thimbles, 'and then soldered to said thimbles, as indicated at 28 in Fig. 5. These insulating members are preferably 'made from glass or porcelain, and they are provided with holes 25, through which screws 728iL are passed to engage tapped holes in the front and rear walls of the sign, in an obvious manner. i

Having thus fully described this invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure to myself by Letters Patent of the United Statesl. An electric sign, including, front and rear sides, there being` in one or both of said sidesa series of horizontally disposed rows of openings in parallel spaced relationship, the openings being in vertical alinement, a non-conducting element connected with each hole, said element being.

removably secured to said side, a lamp socket for each hole, said lamp socket being secured in said non-conducting element, an electrical conductor, connected to each lamp socket in one row, there being as many electrioal conductors as there are rows of sock- .'ets, a second electrical conductor, said secrows of horizontally disposed openings, the

openings in said rows being in vertical alinement, a lamp socketvin each of said openings, an electrical conductor for e, A said openings, said conductors beii contact with said lamp sock ond series ot' horizontally disposed electrical conductors, one of the latter conductors being placed between two of the former electrical conductors, said latter conductors being constructed to contact with the terminals ot electric incandescent lamps when placed in said openings, and vertically disposed supports in said sign, said vertically disposed supports being constructed to support said rows ofv second conductors in proper position, there being insulating members in each support insulating said horizontal rows or' second conductors from one anothera 3. In an electric sign, the combination, of front and rear walls, said walls being in parallel spaced relation7 there being in one of said walls a series of horizontally disposed rows of openings, the openings in said rows being in vertical alinement, a lamp.

supporting member in each hole, said lamp supporting member including an oblong, non-conducting element removably secured to said wall in register with said opening7 a metallic, screw-threaded bushing in said. non-conducting element, there 'being a notch in said element reaching to said metall-ic bushing, a series of horizontally disposed electrical conductors, one for each horizontal row of openings, said conductors being in metallic contactwith said bushings7 and a second series of horizontally disposed electrical conductors, said latterv series being placed between two of the former rows of conductors, said latter conductors being con'- structed to Contact with the terminals of lamps when placed into said openings.

4. In`an electric changeable sign, the combination, of front and rear walls, said walls being in'parallel spaced relationship, there being in said walls a series of horizontally disposed rows of openings, the openings in said rows being in vertical alinement, lamp sockets in said openings, electrical conductors in said sign and connected to said sockets, incandescent lamps in a multiplicity of said sockets but not in all of them, said lamps being so arranged as to spell letters and characters, a second series of horizontally disposed electrical conductors, connected to supply all of the openings, and a reflector for each of said lamps, said reiectors being removably held in position by said lamps, said reiiectors being fitted with media of an elastic naturev to separate said reflectors 'from said lamps.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS CHRISTIAN HANSEN. 

